Embossed card orientation device

ABSTRACT

This invention discloses a device for orienting credit cards insuring the embossed account numbers of the credit card will be entering the character scanning apparatus in correct attitude. The orientation device has a top member with a substantially flat surface formed with an accurately dimensioned groove to receive a row of embossed characters on a credit card. The raised portion of the groove tapers at an angle of about ten degrees to the top surface permitting easy lateral sliding of the character row substantially free of interference with adjacent character rows of the credit card.

United States Patent H9 Olson [451 Feb. 12, 1974 1 1 EMBOSSED CARD ORIENTATION DEVICE [75] Inventor: Gust A. Olson, Los Angelcs, Calif.

[73] Assignee: Rockwell International Corporation,

' El Segundo, Calif.

22 Filed: Dec. 13, 1971 2 1 Appl. No.: 207,093

' [52] US, Cl. ..235/6l.11 R, 235/6111 B, 235/61.11 C, 340/149 A [51] Int. CL. G06k 7/01 5, 606k 1 9/06, G 06k 13/06 [58] Field of Search235/61.11 R, 61.118, 61.11 C,

235/61.11 A, 61.12 R, 61.12 N, 61.7 B;

340/149 A; 200/46; 101/47; 40/142 R, 64 R,

142 A; 308/3 R, 3 A

[561 References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,498,685 3/1970 Poplinski 308/3 R 387,514 8/1888 Heslin 308/3 A 1,296,744 3/1919 Blood 308/3 A 791,903 6/1905 Hawkins 40/142 R 3,612,832 10/1971 Goldstein 235/6l.l1 E 3,612,833 10/1971 Davis 235/6l.1l 3,048,097

8/1962 Miller 101/47 Primary Examiner-Daryl W. Cook Assistant Examiner-Robert M. Kilgore Attorney, Agent, or FirmG. Donald Weber, Jr.; H. Frederick Hamann; L. Lee Humphries 57] ABSTRACT This invention discloses a device for orienting credit cards insuring the embossed account numbers of the credit card will be entering the character scanning ap paratus in correct attitude. The orientation device has a top member with a substantially flat surface formed with an accurately dimensioned groove to receive a row of embossed characters on a credit card. The raised portion of the groove tapers at an angle of about ten degrees to the top surface permitting easy lateral sliding of the character row substantially free of interference with adjacent character rows 01 the credit card.

3 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures PAH-NED FEB I 2 I974 GUST A. OLSON I RI'TORNEY 1 EMBOSSED CARD ORIENTATION DEVICE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION received by the character scanning apparatus.

2. Description of Prior Art The current trend among oil companies, mercantile establishments and in particular department stores and restaurants is to transact business by means of a credit card. As a result of this increase in theuse of credit cards, many devices have been designed to rapidly store, compare or verify character groups that represent a particular account number.

Presently, this involves a variety of pattern recognition devices such that read embossed characters of a credit card by electro-optical arrangements that convert the characters into electrical signals.

The conventional credit card positioners or holders consist mostly of slots wherein the cards are inserted into printing position. The prime disadvantage of this type of holder is that the card stock thicknesses varies which frequently results in damaging the cards and rejecting bent cards.

Another disadvantage of the conventional holders utilizing slots or grooves for guiding the embossed characters is the inability of handling closely spaced embossed character rows without seriously affecting the life of the card.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is the primary object of this invention 'to provide a relatively simple and economical apparatusfor properly orienting credit cards entering embossed character scanning instrumentalities.

Another object of this invention is to provide a device of the above type which is self-contained and portable. 7

Still another object of this invention is to provide the operator with a rapid accurate means of positioning credit cards regardless of card stock thickness and with relative insensitivity to embossed character height and proximity of lines of other embossed character rows.

Still another object of this invention is to provide an orienting device that will accept credit cards with the raised embossed portion of the characters facing downward. 1

These and other objects are accomplished by an orientation device having a relatively hard material with a flat top surface formed with an accurately dimensioned groove to receive a row of embossed account characters on a credit card. The raised portions of the groove taper at an angle of about ten degrees to the top surface permitting easy lateral sliding of the embossed account row substantially free of interference with adjacent character rows of the credit card.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent from the following detailed description wherein a preferred embodiment of the present invention is clearly shown.

IN THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective of the orientation device in combination with a scanning apparatus.

FIG. 2 is a cross-section taken along lines 22 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3'is an enlarged end view of the raised portion and taper.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS This invention relates to a device for orienting credit cards insuring that the embossed account numbers of the credit cards will be entering the character scanning apparatus in correct attitude.

As-illustrated in FIG. 1, the orienting device 10 has a rigid flat top surface 12 formed with a raised tapered portion 16 having an opening groove 14 extending across a portion of the top surface 12 that is accurately dimensioned to receive a row of embossed account numbers 20 on a credit card 18. Each raised portion 16 of this groove tapers at an angle of about 5 to 20 to the top surface 12. The taper of the raised portion on the groove 14 is such that the credit cards having closely spaced embossed lines can be used with substantially no wear of the adjacent embossed characters.

Thetaper of the raised portion is critical if greater than fifteen degrees because the credit card 18 is not permitted the support of the adjacent area to the groove 14 thereby depriving the user of being relatively casual in balancing the credit card 18 once it is in the orienting groove 14. If the angle of the taper is less than five degrees, the credit card cannot move transversely into the tracking groove without affecting the life of the adjacent characters as a result of the contact with the top surface 12 and also would preclude the proper guidance of the characters in groove 14, as illustrated in FIG. 2. The taper of the inside walls of the groove varies from 20 to 40 to the bottom of the groove, as illustrated in FIG. 3. The taper allows sufficient clearance for the embossed account character row 20 to track smoothly without significant side wearing of the character.

The material should be hard and abrasive resistant such as metal or relatively rigid plastic that lends itself to be made smooth in areas of contact with the credit card 18.

Adjacent rows of information normally consist of substantially smaller characters than the account characters. This feature allows the operator to rapidly select the row of characters to be registered.

The operator places the credit card 18 face down positioning the raised embossed account character row 20 in the groove 14 sliding the card 18 into the scanning mechanism; The groove 14 insures the embossed characters 20 will be properly oriented when entering the character scanning device.

This invention provides the operator with a rapid but accurate means of positioning the credit card 18 regardless of the card stock thickness demonstrating relative insensitivity to embossed character height and proximity of adjacent embossed character rows.

The device is portable and can be attached to scanning apparatuses such as pattern readers.

While a specific embodiment of the inventionhas been shown and described in detail to illustrate the application of the inventive principles involved, it is to be understood that the invention may be otherwise embodied without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A device for guiding an embossed card into a character scanning apparatus and insuring the embossed characters of the embossed card will enter said character scanning apparatus in proper orientation for registration of said characters, said device comprising:

a relatively rigid member having a substantially smooth flat surface,

a tapered raised portion on said surface extending across a section of said surface wherein the upper 4 tion,

said tapered, raised portion to receive and limit the lateral movement of said embossed characters on said embossed card, and

said groove being wider at the top than at the bottom thereof and having inside walls which taper between 20 40 relative to said surface.

2. The device recited in claim 1 wherein said groove defines a specified width which is related to a particular segment of the embossed characters on said embossed card wherein the particular segment is accepted by said groove to operate as a registration index for said embossed card.

3. The device recited in claim 1 wherein said characsurface of said tapered, raised portion is narrower ter scanning apparatus has a preferred character scanthan the lower surface thereof,

the taper angle of the sides of said tapered, raised portion is between 5 and relative to said surface of said member to permit an embossed card to be readily moved across said surface and up the tapered sides of said tapered, raised portion transverse to the extension of said tapered, raised porentation. 

1. A device for guiding an embossed card into a character scanning apparatus and insuring the embossed characters of the embossed card will enter said character scanning apparatus in proper orientation for registration of saiD characters, said device comprising: a relatively rigid member having a substantially smooth flat surface, a tapered raised portion on said surface extending across a section of said surface wherein the upper surface of said tapered, raised portion is narrower than the lower surface thereof, the taper angle of the sides of said tapered, raised portion is between 5* and 20* relative to said surface of said member to permit an embossed card to be readily moved across said surface and up the tapered sides of said tapered, raised portion transverse to the extension of said tapered, raised portion, said tapered, raised portion to receive and limit the lateral movement of said embossed characters on said embossed card, and said groove being wider at the top than at the bottom thereof and having inside walls which taper between 20* 40* relative to said surface.
 2. The device recited in claim 1 wherein said groove defines a specified width which is related to a particular segment of the embossed characters on said embossed card wherein the particular segment is accepted by said groove to operate as a registration index for said embossed card.
 3. The device recited in claim 1 wherein said character scanning apparatus has a preferred character scanning orientation, and said member is so coupled to said character scanning apparatus that said groove supplies an embossed card to said character scanning apparatus in accordance with said preferred character scanning orientation. 